Every Grand Slam has its unique flavour. The US Open deals in insanity. It’s very much a microcosm of the city itself, with a kinetic energy that can border on outright hostility.
The intimidating atmosphere will likely be exacerbated this year, with fans yearning to unleash their collective frustration after all the lockdown restrictions of the past 18 months.
Channeling this spirit of confrontation, I have chosen to assemble my 5 best US Open Finals from the Open Era. I hope you enjoy this celebration of the most iconic finals in this event’s history.
#5 – Best US Open Finals – Roger Federer vs Juan Martin Del Potro (2009)
Del Potro wins 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2
Regardless of how many Slams he eventually wins, there is no doubting Federer’s place in the pantheon of tennis greats.
But now that Nadal and Djokovic have matched his haul of 20 Grand Slam titles, I can’t help but picture an aged Federer (looking chill in his rocking chair) reminiscing about the ones that got away.
This match ranks alongside the 2019 Wimbledon Final (where he famously lost two Championship points on serve against Djokovic) as the biggest Grand Slam Final disappointment of Federer’s career.
The gulf in experience between Federer and the giant Argentine was overwhelming. This was Federer’s 21st Grand Slam final while Del Potro was making his maiden finals appearance.
Del Potro was clearly nervous, landing only one of his opening nine first-serves. Federer pounced, winning the first set comfortably. He then progressed to a 3-1 lead in the second.
Everything was going swimmingly for the Swiss maestro.
That was until Del Potro unleashed one of his trademark forehand winners to bring up a break-back point (which he duly won). It stunned the highly partisan New York crowd who – like the rest of the world – had rocked up for a Federer procession.
Del Potro’s forehand would dictate the rest of the match.
Federer was unable to capitalize on a bucketload of opportunities, winning just 5 of his 22 break points throughout the match.
Not only did the Argentine’s victory deny Federer his 6th consecutive title, he also helped diminish Federer’s aura of invincibility in New York (Federer is yet to capture a US Open since).
#4 – Best US Open Finals – Andy Murray vs Novak Djokovic (2012)
Murray wins 7-6 (10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2
Andy Murray’s recent injury woes have overshadowed his considerable on-court achievements.
The durable and surly Scot is often regarded in Mark Ruffalo terms (a strong supporting actor who didn’t quite crack leading man status).
But Murray is much more than just a supporting act in the Big Three narrative, winning three slams and competing in eleven Major finals (he’s also the two-time defending Olympic champion).
This final was a landmark moment in his career: he had lost all four of his previous Slam finals. He was desperate for a victory that would finally eliminate any lingering bridesmaid banter.
This turned into one of the most epic displays of baseline brutality that you will ever see.
The match included a rally that lasted 55 shots (I got tired just typing that).
The 22-point first-set tiebreaker set a new tournament record and created some dramatic moments.
There were ten points consisting of at least ten shots dispersed throughout the epic 25-minute tiebreak.
Murray must have feared the worst when Djokovic came from two sets down to level the match. But the Scot outlasted the ironman of men’s tennis to claim his maiden Grand Slam title.
Clocking in at 4 hours and 54 minutes, this equalled the 1988 Lendl-Wilander final as the longest in US Open history.
#3 – Best US Open Finals – Martina Navratilova vs Chris Evert (1984)
Navratilova wins 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
The Evert-Navratilova rivalry is not simply one of the most definitive struggles in the history of tennis. It is a contest that transcends the sport, comparable to the epic pugilism of Frazier-Ali or the melodrama of Prost-Senna.
They complemented each other perfectly, almost operating as female doppelgangers for Borg and McEnroe.
Evert (Borg) operated predominantly from the baseline while Navratilova (McEnroe) favoured the now hackneyed serve-and-volley approach.
Evert (Borg) was known as the ‘Ice Maiden’ due to her stoic on-court persona while Navratilova (McEnroe) was far more combustible. Okay, maybe not McEnroe combustible, but let’s not ruin a perfectly good analogy.
Evert was aiming to win her 7th US Open while Navratilova had actually won their last twelve consecutive matches.
Many expected this to be a formality for the Czech-American. But this proved a turning point in their rivalry, with Evert employing far more variety in her game.
Evert stormed to a one-set lead before Navratilova turned on the style, rallying back to win her 55th consecutive match (matching Evert’s Open Era record).
As a postscript, Navratilova would go on to extend her winning streak to 74 matches (still a WTA record). Evert would prove far more competitive over the next five years, reinstating parity in this titanic rivalry.
#2 – Best US Open Finals – John McEnroe vs Bjorn Borg (1980)
McEnroe wins 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-7 (5), 5-7, 6-4
The ultimate clash of styles, McEnroe and Borg’s intense rivalry is arguably still the high-water mark in men’s tennis history.
Borg was the prototypical baseliner, using heavy topspin and rarely coming to the net. He essentiality set the template for the baseline-dominated game that we experience today.
McEnroe was the patron saint of serve-and-volley, employing a style that is basically extinct in modern tennis.
But they always brought out the best in each other.
Curiously, McEnroe never lost his legendary temper against the serene Swede: he obviously saved all that pent-up rage for Jimmy Conners.
This match is best viewed as a double-bill that started at Wimbledon.
Borg prevailed in an epic Wimbledon final that is still considered by many as the greatest Grand Slam final in the history of tennis. Therefore, the Flushing Meadows reunion had a lot to live up to and it didn’t disappoint.
McEnroe took a two-set lead and seemed to be cruising to an easy win. But the smooth Swede responded with typical elan, hitting five clean winners to take the third set tiebreak.
After winning the fourth set, many thought it was over. Borg was on a 13-match winning streak in five-set matches. McEnroe was also fresh off an epic five-set win over Conners. But McEnroe pulled an M. Night Shyamalan on the world, taking down the ‘Ice Man’ in the fifth set and claiming his second consecutive US Open title.
This was arguably McEnroe’s finest hour in professional tennis, defeating Lendl, Connors and Borg in his final three matches.
#1 – Best US Open Finals – Steffi Graf vs Monica Seles (1995)
Graf wins 7-6 (6), 0-6, 6-3
The significance of this three-set victory extends far beyond the boundaries of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Honestly, this story sounds like the Hail Mary script of a washed-up Hollywood screenwriter.
Monica Seles was the undisputed number one player in the world in 1993. She had just beaten Steffi Graf in the Australian Open Final. They looked set to enjoy a rivalry akin to that of Navratilova and Evert.
But tragedy intervened, as Seles was senselessly stabbed in Hamburg by a crazed Graf supporter. She did not return to competitive tennis for more than two years while Graf utterly dominated the tour.
This was only Seles’s second tournament back following her hiatus. How would she confront Graf, the unwitting inspiration behind her brutal assault?
Graf had her own issues, with her father Peter imprisoned in Germany for tax evasion connected with her tour earnings.
And just to add one extra bit of seasoning to this broth, Seles had become a naturalized American citizen in 1994.
The New York crowd were firmly behind Seles, bounded as much by patriotism as the desire for a fairy-tale ending. Seles, the original queen of grunt, embodied many aspects of the stereotypical New Yorker.
Loud and aggressive, Seles was an energetic fighter who people could root for.
Graf, statuesque and elegant, was very much cast as the aloof (almost robotic) European.
The first-set tiebreak was one for the ages, with Seles certain that she had won the set with an ace at 6-5. But the ball was called out and Graf would hit a winner on the second serve, helping her towards victory in the opening set.
Seles then dug in to produce one of the most devastating sets of tennis witnessed at any Slam: she won the second set to love in just 27 minutes. But Graf would return with some of her best tennis in the final salvos, ultimately prevailing 6-3 in the decisive set. But the spectacle had not disappointed and Seles will always hold a special place in the heart of the tennis world.
Unfortunately, she was never quite able to replicate her pre-Hamburg form, only winning one Grand Slam title as an American (the 1996 Aussie Open).
Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoyed our list of the best US Open finals from the open era!
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